mistakes taste great -- a lesson from oven drying tomatos

I was making sun-dried tomatoes this morning, well oven-dried really since the 115 degree heat here does more than dry anything we try to lay outside, and I had another one of those moments. Those delicious glowing-light-cast-down-from-above-like-a-flash lessons learned from a simple task being done. I've been reading a lot about spirituality lately and where and how I'm gonna get there. I don't hope to figure it all out or anything, but I'm feeling exploratory and for me first that means books. So I read - a lot. Then I sit. Then I write.

But instead of writing, lately I've been doing. I read. I sit. Then I do. Recently we received 20 pounds of tomatoes from our food co-op so I set out to make a batch of sun-dried tomatoes. One of my favorite souls is always saying "Your life is your practice." I find this the most peaceful string of words I've ever heard. So instead of crawling up inside my notebook this time I decided to take a bite of a juicy tomato.

The thing about writing is that it often leads me into a dark place. I become so absorbed in my own thoughts and characters I have trouble with the whole reality/fiction thing. I write creative nonfiction essays as well as nonfiction inspired stories so this is easy to do. But it wreaks havoc on my relationships.

It's so easy for me to get caught up in my details, in writing or action, and either me, the people in my life, or my little endeavors usually suffer as a result. But not this morning. When you are doing something, actually moving your body around taking action, you have no room for getting caught up in details or dark places. The tomatoes simply need cutting.

Thus begins the battle with myself to go Nike. Thankfully in my current hobby, cooking, there is a lot of zen, and you just have to do it. There are a million books, essays, and documentaries about it and I see it every time I'm in the kitchen. There really is no multi-tasking. You must be mindful otherwise you might end up with some extra protein in your salad, or grab the cayenne instead of the cumin. You must be right there, in now. Once you let yourself be in that place, there is immense pleasure in slicing the most perfect cut of tomato and I never notice how much time has gone by.

The best part about finding yourself in the kitchen, is in those precise moments that you do go away and get to come back. You float off with your thoughts, you feel rushed, you get overwhelmed, you want to make it fancier than...

This morning, impatient with my little salt shaker, I grabbed the big canister I use to fill up the small one. Now I really really thought I was paying attention, I had just cut those amazing slices and all. I ended up spilling about 1/4 cup of salt over the corner of my pan. Once upon a time, this small event could have sent me into a dark room so filled with hate myself negativity for the rest of the day I couldn't even take a shower.

But peace of mind has come easily to me lately because of all this reading and sitting. Mostly the sitting. So, no big deal I thought, as I scooped and spread the salt around the remaining tomatoes. A couple of hours later I checked on my bounty and there was a huge pool of water in the pan. This had never happened before but I took them out and drizzled the water into the sink. Just then, that little spark went off and I beamed. This must be why we salt them! To draw the water out so they are able to dry. Silly I know, maybe I should have known this, but it was a lesson all the same. So I have adjusted my recipe and will now liberally salt them. And these tomatoes, over salted and oozing water, are the best sun-drieds I have made so far.

Aren't they just beautiful?

Arizona Summer 'Sun'-dried Tomatoes

Slice tomatoes like for hamburgers but thicker (about 4 slices for a large tomato)

Line a baking pan with aluminum foil

Lay tomatoes flat on pan, packed tightly but not touching

Salt liberally, but don't pour the whole thing out!

Place in oven at 200 degrees for 8 to 10 hours

I usually do it before I go to bed and they are ready for eggs in the morning!

Will keep in freezer for months.